NEWSLockyer: Darius Boyd must play smarter

NRL Player

Darius Boyd must focus on keeping his body right as he ages,
says Darren Lockyer​

Peter Badel,
The Courier-Mail
September 10, 2019 8:04pm

Brisbane playmaking legend Darren Lockyer believes Broncos skipper Darius Boyd must accept he is not the athlete he used to be and work harder on his game management to succeed in his twilight years. As Boyd prepares for Sunday’s elimination final against the Eels at Bankwest Stadium, Lockyer drew on his personal experience as he offered Brisbane’s leader advice to extend his career in the NRL next season. If anyone can relate to Boyd’s move from fullback to five-eighth, it is Lockyer. The Broncos legend was 27 years old when he was handed the famous No.6 jumper by Wayne Bennett in 2004.

Within two years, Lockyer skippered Brisbane to their most recent premiership in 2006. Boyd has come under searing scrutiny since his mid-season shift to the frontline and at age 32, there are calls for him to retire, but Lockyer is adamant the 316-game stalwart can play on with a renewed mental approach. “The key for Darius is not worrying about the external noise,” Lockyer said. “If he works really hard with his preparation, he can still get success at the back end of his career.

“From experience you have to work harder than you do in your prime. Darius may not have the same speed or strength, so you need to pick up that edge you’ve lost by working harder with your training. “I came back after my knee reconstruction (in 2007) at age 30 and I just wasn’t the same player anymore. I didn’t have the same zip off the mark, my right leg took a yard of speed off me and my age was starting to come into it.

“I just knew I didn’t have that same edge I once did, so I had to be smarter and go from a player who liked to run the ball to a player who game managed and passed the footy. “The last 12 months, when I knew that would be my last year, I put everything into my preparation and I started playing some better footy that year. “Darius, at 32, is now in that phase of his career, but I still believe he has more to offer the Broncos.”

It was all about keeping his body right for Lockyer. Photo: Jeff Camden

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold retained Boyd in the halves for the sudden-death showdown with the Eels. In 10 appearances at five-eighth, Boyd has won five, drawn one and lost four for a 55 per cent success rate. There is a sentiment that Boyd lacks the tactical kicking and game-management at five-eighth to take Brisbane to the holy grail, but coach Seibold says he will persist with his skipper at the scrumbase.

“I will stick with Darbs at five-eighth,” he said. “We have shown a lot of improvement at the back end of the season with Darius in the halves. “The other night (in Brisbane’s 30-14 loss to the Bulldogs), I really feel we didn’t turn up with the right attitude, but the previous nine weeks with Darius in the halves and ‘Milf’ (Anthony Milford) at fullback, we have done a pretty good job.”

It’s up to Boyd to make the most of his final career years. Photo: AAP Image/Craig Golding

Boyd insists he is not kicking stones at being stripped of his beloved No.1 jumper and concedes he and halves cohort Jake Turpin must take more control against the Eels. “I loved playing fullback but I’ve actually enjoyed the five-eighth role,” he said. “It was a big move at this stage of my career but I feel I am getting better and getting used to the role each week.

“It was disappointing to lose the way we did against the Bulldogs. It’s up to the halves to get the team in the right spots of the field and make sure we are completing our sets and executing our plays. “I know we need to build good sets to give ourselves opportunities and that starts with me and ‘Turps’. We can’t play into Parra’s hands.”

Our strategy of "one out Pass to someone and hope they do something good" is a widely practiced strategy/play. . . . I mean, it is widely used in U/6 footy,. Maybe this is the most complex game plan our 300+ game veteren can manage.

NRL Player

I think the loss of Dearden was pretty big looking back. Not because I think he's the saviour of our attacking game, but prior to him being injured Milf was still at 5/8.

Dearden was also more than adequate in defence on that right side and Turps was in the hooker rotation.

When he got injured Milf was moved to fullback probably 2 weeks later from memory and our right side defence has been horrendous pretty much ever since.

It may have been on the cards to move Boyd regardless, but if Dearden hadn't been injured potentially Boyd gets moved to center and someone else goes to fullback with Milf and Dearden in the halves.

I think it will be interesting to see what happens with Milf in the off season. Does he get moved back to 6 with Dearden and someone like Isaako or Niu moving into fullback or does he stay at fullback and maybe Bird or even Paix moves into the halves with Dearden.

NRL Player

Is anyone else wondering why Lockyer has gone public with this bullshit. Quite clearly what the great man has publicly outlined to Darius regarding the need to protect his body and whatnot is what Boyd has been doing all year and continues to do.

Surely this advice is something done in private over a beer or coffee and not with Badel in the press.

Darren Lockyer is not only trying to take the pressure off Darius and his loss of previous capabilities but also may inadvertently be the one over riding Seibold in the selection room regarding his mate.

State of Origin Rep

Is anyone else wondering why Lockyer has gone public with this bullshit. Quite clearly what the great man has publicly outlined to Darius regarding the need to protect his body and whatnot is what Boyd has been doing all year and continues to do.

Surely this advice is something done in private over a beer or coffee and not with Badel in the press.

Darren Lockyer is not only trying to take the pressure off Darius and his loss of previous capabilities but also may inadvertently be the one over riding Seibold in the selection room regarding his mate.

And of course Lockyer may have absolutely no influence over selections, Seibold may be his own man, Lockyer may have had this conversation with DB in private and over coffee prior to speaking with the press and DB said ' sure, tell them, makes no difference to me as I don't read that shit'. Maybe huh?

NRL Player

QCup Player

Is anyone else wondering why Lockyer has gone public with this bullshit. Quite clearly what the great man has publicly outlined to Darius regarding the need to protect his body and whatnot is what Boyd has been doing all year and continues to do.

Surely this advice is something done in private over a beer or coffee and not with Badel in the press.

Darren Lockyer is not only trying to take the pressure off Darius and his loss of previous capabilities but also may inadvertently be the one over riding Seibold in the selection room regarding his mate.

Locky said a couple of weeks ago, I think it was after the Parra game, that Darius plays his best footy when under pressure by the media.
I think he then went on to score a try and got man of the match for that game.
I dare say locky is trying to hope that public scrutiny again will improve his performance this week.
It’s pretty poor that the captain of this great club only seems to play half decent after a week of bashing in the media.
Hopefully he calls time on his career in the off season.

NRL Player

It goes without saying that Locky is a literal God but history has consistently shown that great players rarely do great things in the offices of NRL clubs. If Locky is doing a good job then he is definitely one of the few exceptions.

NRL Player

I tell you who Locky needs to talk to to play smarter it's big Lodgey.

He's great for putting his hand up and fearless when carrying the ball out of trouble, but please ffs focus on your ball retention. Opposition players are working out you're prone to the loose carry and are getting turnovers at the most dangerous spot on the field.

Do your hit ups and nothing else inside our own half and then maybe think about offloading.

State of Origin Rep

I tell you who Locky needs to talk to to play smarter it's big Lodgey.

He's great for putting his hand up and fearless when carrying the ball out of trouble, but please ffs focus on your ball retention. Opposition players are working out you're prone to the loose carry and are getting turnovers at the most dangerous spot on the field.

Do your hit ups and nothing else inside our own half and then maybe think about offloading.

Really? You came up with that theory because he was illegally stripped of the ball twice in the match? There was three in the second tackle and the ref missed it again. Loose carry, mmm don't think so.